A forest a day! July 20: RP034A, Repulse Forest

This massive 137 hectare logging coupe is near Misery Road in the Repulse River catchment, central Tasmania. This forest is part of the core area of 430,000 hectares that was promised protection as part of the Intergovernmental Agreement. Yet, like many other high conservation value forests across the state, it has been subject to logging since the signing of that agreement.

The coupe has been completed in sections, with some areas already burnt. The final section was logged within the past few months. The creek that runs through the area, which was given only a small buffer zone, was badly damaged by the high intensity burn and then further degraded as the vegetation has suffered from edge effects, that come with the sudden exposure to wind and sunlight.

This logging coupe is within an area that has been recommended for protection by the independent verification assessment. Its close proximity to Mount Field National Park is of particular significance. The current boundary of the park is inadequate and the inclusion of this area to the north of the current park would greatly enhance the value of the reserve. It has been recommended by Hitchcock that the Mount Field National Park along with the Repulse forests and other surrounding areas should be incorporated into the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (Hitchcock 2012: 132).

For more information about the ‘A forest a day’ project, which is a collaboration between Huon Valley Environment Centre, Still Wild Still Threatened, The Last Stand, Markets for Change and Code Green, please click HERE